Members Toto99 Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 Just wondered if there is anything I can do (apart from playing constant guitar which I already do - 4 hours+ a day) to harden the tips of my fingers. Sometimes my fingertips hurt a little bit after a few hours of playing. Maybe I should rub them on sandpaper or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Engl Kramer Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 Why, put them in the freezer of course. Or set them in concrete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 practice more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Reignman Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 I use to do exclusively pull offs for hours... got so many tear offs, they'd callus real quick... sit in front of the tv when you're "Done playing" and just do hammer ons and pull offs until your forearm wont allow it... Call me when you start to bleed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 55gibby Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 You can either practice more... or... smack them with a hammer everyday for a month. Actually, I don't have defined callouses on my finger tips and I can play forever without them hurting. You may want to consider backing off on the pressuer you're playing with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kid Klash Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 ... practice, practice, practice. There are no shortcuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members paradisel0st Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 I've played hours a day for 5 years and have yet to EVER get anything vaguely resembling a callous. My fingers never hurt when I play and I mainly play lead guitar bending the piss out of the things. Never really understood it, but oh well! *edit now I should note I've always played with a very light touch so maybe that's why? I'm assuming it has more to do with skin types or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members monto Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 u know what i found, i find different string gauges affect how much my fingers 'hurt' i actually get more pain using really light strings, eg. 9's i dunno they just really seem to 'cut' into my fingers if the strings are too thin. think razorblades. oh and if u didnt know already, if u wash your hands before playing, i think it softens up your fingers (a bad thing). that doesnt stop me though personally, i always wash my hands before playing haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flori Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 I play and teach violin/viola everyday and my finger-tips have been permanently calloused for 30 years. I use a fair amount of pressure on the viola which is my main squeeze so playing 0.9 gauge strings with a 2mm action is a walk in the park in comparison...although I DO habitually press too hard and would like to develop a lighter touch on guitar. I can get to the point sometimes where I have too thick a callous and this can create a sore sensation so either have to 'trim' them down a bit or man-up and play through the pain!! At music college we used to rub our finger tips with surgical spirit to harden them but ultimately only endless playing seems to toughen them up. No real shortcuts I'm afraid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members poolshark Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 Try some rubbing alcohol on the fingertips to speed up the hardening process; it never did a whole lot for me, but some swear by it. I'm blessed with hard fingertips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jelloman Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 I play and teach violin/viola everyday and my finger-tips have been permanently calloused for 30 years. I use a fair amount of pressure on the viola which is my main squeeze so playing 0.9 gauge strings with a 2mm action is a walk in the park in comparison...although I DO habitually press too hard and would like to develop a lighter touch on guitar. I can get to the point sometimes where I have too thick a callous and this can create a sore sensation so either have to 'trim' them down a bit or man-up and play through the pain!! At music college we used to rub our finger tips with surgical spirit to harden them but ultimately only endless playing seems to toughen them up. No real shortcuts I'm afraid I have a couple of viola jokes I got from "Classical Music for Dummies"... ...wanna hear 'em?:poke: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Prages Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 I don't play every day, or even every week. I can play electric guitar as long as I want without my fingers hurting, but playing an acoustic or a bass for a few hours will cause some tenderness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members etawful Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 Get one of these excersisers: Then order a set of these to put on it: I would go with the yellow exerciser, it's plenty for most folks. The fingertip things are slightly sharp and hard plastic, so they really help build up calluses quick. I keep one in the car and just use it while I'm driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaveAronow Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 Send them to prison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pope on a Rope Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 Get a hand job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members paulskirocks Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 Get a hand job. Oh boy... You want tough hands? Drop out of college and become an electrician and carpenter (or other trades, this is just what I did)... You will have asbestos hands in no time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flori Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 ....thanks jelloman....but I must have heard them all by now ...eg... Q: What's the difference between a dead hedgehog on the motorway and a dead viola-player on the motorway? A: There are skid-marks in front of the hedgehog. Q: Whats the difference between a lawn-mower and a viola? A: No-one wants to borrow your viola. ....etc...etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flori Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 Q: How do you make a viola-player play 'tremolando'? A: Write a whole-note with the word 'Solo' above it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jelloman Posted February 12, 2010 Members Share Posted February 12, 2010 Q: How do you make a viola-player play 'Tremelando'? A: Write a whole-note with the word 'Solo' above it. yeah, that's them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Toto99 Posted February 13, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 13, 2010 Get one of these excersisers: Then order a set of these to put on it: I would go with the yellow exerciser, it's plenty for most folks. The fingertip things are slightly sharp and hard plastic, so they really help build up calluses quick. I keep one in the car and just use it while I'm driving. I actually own a red one of these which I bought for wrestling training, but I've always found it too tough. Might try one of the lighter ones. Thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Poster Nutbag Posted February 13, 2010 Members Share Posted February 13, 2010 The Kung Fu guys got it figured out.. [YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Longhair Posted February 13, 2010 Members Share Posted February 13, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members johanneswiberg Posted February 13, 2010 Members Share Posted February 13, 2010 I had a kyokushin karate teacher who did that, but with an even thicker rock. It's just beyond awesomeness. As for fingertips, the long hard way seems the only foolproof one. Don't try jamming them into a lawnmower, it doesn't help (I only did it by accident and it was my right hand anyway and since I mostly use picks, it's not a hinderance these days). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Whitebread Posted February 14, 2010 Members Share Posted February 14, 2010 try pissing on your hands....http://www.slate.com/id/2100652/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metallica_00 Posted February 14, 2010 Members Share Posted February 14, 2010 more acoustic less electric. I can play electric all day no prob, but acoustic rips my fingers right up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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